Safety device for steam-boilers.



No 733,844. E PATENTED SEPT. 15,1903. D. A. REAGAN.

1 SAFETY DEVICE FOR STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. '1903.

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DOMINICK A. REAGAN, OF ALTOONA,

Patented September 1.5, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- TI-IIRDTO FREDERICK HESSER, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,844, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed January 17, 1903. Serial No. 189,468. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DOMINICK A. REAGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth- IO ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to safety devices for preventing explosions of steam-boilers, and has for its object to provide a new and im- I 5 proved device by means of which, if the water should get too low in a steam-boiler, an opening will. be automatically made in the partition or wall between the water and steam space and the combustionchamber or firebox of a boiler and steam and water admit ted thereto to extinguish the fire.

In carrying out the invention the wall or partition in a steam-boiler at any suitable point or position between the water and z 5 steam space and the combustion-chamber or fire-box is provided with an opening and a hollow projection or cap fastened over said opening and projecting into the water or into the fire-space, said cap being of such thick- 0 ness and construction as to withstand the pressure in the boiler and when the water has fallen away from the cap to burn and become loosened, thus causing a leak and admitting steam and water to the fire-box or 5 combustion-chamber to extinguish the fire.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar figures of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a locomotive-boiler, showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the manner of attaching the cap to the boiler. Fig. 3 is a view showing another way of attaching the cap to the boiler. Fig. 4 is a view showing a'modification in the 0011- struction of the cap. Fig. 5 is another modifi cation of the cap, showing it plain.

While the invention may be applied at any suitable part of a steam-boiler of different makes between the steam and water space and the combustion-chamber or fire-box, to

illustrate one way of carrying out the invention I have shown it as applied to the crownsheet 1 of a steam-boiler, 2 being the fire-box.

Referring to Fig. 2, a suitable opening 3 is formed in the crown-sheet 1, and a hollow pro- 5 5 jection or cap 4, of preferably the same metal as the crown-sheet and projecting into the water and steam space 5, is fastened over the opening 3. One way'of attaching the cap 4L is as follows: The hole or opening 3 is formed with a flange 6, projecting into the water and steam space 5, said flange being formed with an offset 7 close to the crown-sheet. The cap 4 is fastened over the opening by rooling or expanding it, with a flange 8 setting into the offset '7, the operation being similar to roolin g or expanding a tube or fine into a tubesheet. The cap 4 is preferably of the same material as the crown-sheet, but is somewhat thinner. The cap 4is preferablycorrugated, and as herein shown is vertically corrugated, therebystrengthening the cap to resist the pressure for the purpose hereinafter set forth, and is preferably corrugated, as at 9, to assist in withstanding the steam-pressure. In the event of the water in the boiler falling below the upper part of the cap 42 as indicated, the cap will become highly heated, owing to the intensity of the heat in the fire-box or combustion-chamber, and burn out, break, burst, or collapse, and may also become loosened from its fastening and allow the steam and water to pass down into the fire-box and extinguish the fire. Another way of attaching the cap to the crown-sheet is shown in Fig. 3, where a tubular nut 10 is employed, which is screwed into the opening 3 in the crown-sheet, forming a steam or water tight joint, and the cap 4: is secured to the nut 10 by rooling or expanding, the flange 8 of the cap setting into an offset 11 in the nut.

In lieu of the cap 4E being vertically corrugated, as in Fig. 3, it may be horizontally cor rugated, as shown by cap 4E in Fig. 4:.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification where 9 5 the cap is plain, as the cap 4"; but the eorrugated form is preferable.

In this invention as herein presented there is a cap covering an opening in the crownsheet or other suitable partition of a steam- 10o boiler of such a thickness as to resist the steam-pressure, but when the water may bea cap secured to said partition, over said open- 1 'ing, said cap being of such thickness, as to withstand steam-pressure, but adapted to burn away and become loose from its fastening, when the water in the boiler falls below the cap, as herein set forth.

2. A steam-boiler, having an opening in the partition between the steam and water space, and combustion-chamber, and a cap secured over said opening, the cap being of thin material, which will burn, and separate from its fastening when the water in the boiler becomes low, said cap being corrugated, as herein set forth.

3. A steam-boiler havingan opening in the partition between the steam-space and combustion-chamber, and a tubular nut secured in said opening, in combination with a cap secured to said nut, said cap being of metal of such thickness as to withstand the steampressure in the boiler, but which will burn, and loosen from its fastening when the water in the boiler becomes low, as herein set forth.

4. A steam-boiler, having an opening in the crown-sheet, formed with a flange projecting outside of the crown-sheet, and having an offset, in combination with a cap having a flange set into said offset; the cap projecting into the boiler, and being of thin metal, which will withstand steam-pressure, but will burn, and become loose from its joint, when the water in the boiler becomes low, as herein set forth.

5. In a steam-boiler, a partition between the water and steam space and the combustionchamber, having an opening, and a cap secured over said opening, said cap being of thinner metal than the crown-sheet, and projecting into the steam-space, and secured to a support about said opening, whereby when the water in the boiler becomes low, and removed from the cap, the latter will burn, and become detached from its fastening, and steam and water admitted to the fire-box, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DOMINICK A. REAGAN.

\Vitnesses:

D. W. BOYLE, W. J. HENRY. 

